Lolita Bakery

I think I may have a new favorite lunch spot near my work. Me and half the town based on the line of people waiting for a table. This cafe has genuine small town charm and friendliness, with just amazing food. The menu changes daily, and the breads and desserts are made on premises. When I asked for a cup of coffee they said "medium or dark roast?"

The waitress recommended the special, chicken pot pie - so I had that, while my friend had the open-faced egg salad sandwich made with farm fresh eggs (from down the street). My pot pie had the biggest, most tender pieces of breast meat in it....I mean, it was almost ridiculous, I had to take pieces out and put them on my plate to cut them up, not that I am complaining! The gravy was so savory and rich, but not too heavy on the cream, and it was also brimming with veg, lots of sweet red peppers that balanced the savory/saltiness of the gravy. The crust was pie style, not commercial puff pastry like what they used at VI.

The salad is also worth a mention, fresh greens with slivered almonds, just a touch of goat cheese, and dried cranberries in a light vinegrette. Normally I don't do dessert, not with lunch, but I saw a homemade pie on the way in that I knew I had to try, and my friend had one of their fresh baked oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

The pie was a dark chocolate cream, thicker than regular "pudding" type pies, with great fresh whipped cream on top. My friends cookie was rich, chewy, with a strong vanilla flavor. Okay, probably the best cookie I have had in a very long time. The pie was also fantastic, but so rich I could only eat about 4 bites and took the rest home (my husband and I split it after dinner later on). Next time, I might go in just for pie and coffee, but probably wouldn't order dessert again after a meal.  I noticed many people ordering the cookies to take home.

The tab for two sandwiches with side salads, two cups of coffee, and two desserts, with a generous Christmas-time tip was $32, which makes this place a bargain when you consider that everything is farm fresh and made from scratch. I am taking my husband there to try it out himself some time next week, and I am looking forward to going back myself.

The Sea Grill

It has been a while - much traveling and holiday fun sidetracked me and prevented me from meeting my goal of finishing "the project" by years end. No matter. Delayed but not forgotten, I went with my friend Nancy to The Sea Grill, the #1 rated restaurant in Eureka according to TripAdvisor, for lunch yesterday.

Based on the other guests, The Sea Grill caters to the business-lunch and senior crowd. The atmosphere was fairly formal, linens and polished presentations, etc., but there were something odd about it too. For example, the first options on the wine menu (tasteful leather-ette binder) was Ingelwood Chablis or Blush wine by the half or full carafe. Half carafe of blush now goes for $6, in case you are curious. Once inside the wine list though, there was a reasonable selection of decent wines - nothing outstanding. Why put carafe of blush on page 1 unless you think that will be the first choice of those who are eating at your restaurant though? Now the tables of nicely dressed 70-year-old women are starting to make more sense.....

The building is well lit and decorated - there was no background music, we were able to easily carry on a conversation without raising our voices, and we were never disturbed by the conversations of the other diners. Pleasant...not so formal that I felt like I could not relax, yet fancy enough to feel like a bit of a treat.

I was not very impressed with the lunch menu...all the usual, fish and chips, french dip sandwiches, crab melts - and had made up my mind to get a grilled calamari sandwich with a side salad, when the server came over and announced the specials. Grilled salmon entree, for $17, or mahi-mahi tacos for $12. I love fish tacos, so decided to allow the chef to 'wow' me with his special. Nancy ordered the snapper almondine, this came with a cup of chowder to start, then rice pilaf and vegetables, $14.

First mine. Two small tacos, about 2 oz. of seasoned, grilled mahi-mahi on each, topped with some shredded cabbage, a white sauce, and lime wedges. They were fine. I did enjoy the spicy rub on the fish...no need to reach for the hot sauce - so well done there. Having said that, I left hungry, and so we went down the block to Ramone's Bakery, where I enjoyed a macchiato and a cupcake for dessert - but that's another review.

Nancy's snapper was very tasty. Moist, nice crust, sweet almonds, just a hint of garlic in the sauce. The green beans were just crunchy enough, and she reported that the chowder was excellent. I didn't taste the chowder or the pilaf so can't fairly report on those.

Bottom line - The Sea Grill is fine, but I can't see myself going back really. I guess if my mom was in town, she would probably enjoy it so I would go with her. It is a notch better than other local options....I guess I wanted to like it more than I actually did. I don't know if it is the chef's fault - maybe in trying to appeal to a wide-enough audience to keep his business going he lost touch with what he was trying to do in the first place?